Thank You for Giving Roselin’s Family Their “Best Day”

Marisol, 24, is the mother of three-year-old Roselin Nicol, a Smile Train patient. When we had the privilege of visiting her at her home in Bolivia, she insisted we deliver the following message to our supporters. We shortened it for the video but posted the whole thing below. We promise both will make your day.

Before my daughter was born, I was studying at school.

When I found out that I was pregnant, I didn’t stop. I continued studying until I finished.

During the pregnancy, I did not have ultrasounds. I just found out about the cleft the day she was born. For my husband, Javier, and I, that was the worst day of our lives.

We were scared and we cried because we did not understand what was happening. We thought our little girl would suffer her whole life.

The doctors told us that there was a solution and she could have her first surgery when she was three months old. He sent us to the children's hospital, but they said they couldn’t perform the surgery until she was three years old.

When we came back home with her, it was difficult. We did not have electricity. We had to make a fire to warm up and prepare her food, and she cried all night.

We didn't show her to anyone. When we were on the bus, we covered her up so no one would see her.

But our family gave us support in everything.

We finally found the help we needed at a bank. A lady there saw Roselin and told us about Smile Train. When we found out that we could have access to treatment, it was the best day.

We hurt the day of her cleft lip surgery because she cried a lot. But when they brought our daughter to us, we never could have imagined her like that; it was like she had been born again.

We always take her to all of her checkups. We never miss one.

After the first surgery, she began to eat normally. Before, we didn't know how to feed her.

She has since had another free surgery, to heal her cleft palate, and they told us they will do another revision, on her nose, when she is 15 years old.

Today, Roselin is super well. She plays with other children and she speaks well.

She is in first grade at school.

Our wishes for her future are that she will be healthy with no problems in her nose, mouth, and teeth.

We would tell other parents of children with clefts to be strong, not to worry. There is a solution.

We say infinite thanks to Smile Train’s donors. They saved us, and today we see our happy girl.

You make us all very happy.